7 Stylish Kitchen Design Ideas

10 May 2017

Designing your kitchen can be very exciting but before you get too far into Pinterest, check out these 7 tips that keep both function and design in mind.

Think Ahead
Your new kitchen will end up being the heart of your home. So when it comes time to design, put function first. For instance, make room for storage. Pots, pans, tupperware containers and utensils. Your kitchen needs to store them all so be cautious to give yourself enough storage for everything. Remember: a practical kitchen will make your life much easier.

Styling
Dark colours shrink spaces and may leave your new kitchen feeling small and uninviting. Use light colours to make your kitchen feel fresh, bright and welcoming. Pick one area to be the focal point. Shiny bench tops with loud splashbacks are very distracting to the eye – just pick one, eye catching point for everyone to enjoy.

Eliminate wasted steps
Think about where and how things will be used. Keep dishes and cutlery near the sink and dish washer to ease the never-ending loading and unloading. You can think about your current kitchen and determine what works and doesn’t.

Directing Traffic
If you have kids you don’t want them near the cooktop, knocking over pans or hurting themself so keep the cook top out of the general walkway. With the fridge, it needs to be accessible to people passing by for a quick snack and for when you’re working in the kitchen.

Microwave location
With a new kitchen, you longer have to keep the microwave on valuable bench space. Instead, you can find the right microwave height. Your family needs will dictate where your microwave will be placed. If you want children to be able to use the microwave place it just under the bench. If it will be mostly used by adults, 40 cm above counter with the overhead cabinetry is ideal.

Plan your workspace
Give yourself enough space on either side of the cooktop. This is your workspace, keep it open so you can get creative (or messy) in the kitchen!

Keeping clean
Keep a rubbish bin close to your preparation area by dedicating a spot that’s made for one. That way, the bin is always close by and you can keep your workspace clear.